Forget last week’s IIHF World Junior Championship final—1972 was the ultimate Canada-Russia hockey showdown.
Canadians in 62 communities throughout Ontario and Western Canada will be able to relieve the famed Summit Series—won by Canada on Paul Henderson’s historic goal—during a five-month tour beginning in Henderson’s hometown of Lucknow, Ont., on Jan. 28.
The Henderson Jersey Homecoming Tour is the brainchild of Mitch Goldhar, the founder of commercial shopping centre developer SmartCentres. Goldhar acquired Henderson’s historic #19 jersey at an auction last year with a winning bid of nearly $1.3 million—outbidding a group of companies said to include Molson, The Forzani Group and Canadian Tire.
Toronto’s Fuse Marketing Group has created an immersive experience around the jersey tour that includes interactive touch screens, assorted Summit Series memorabilia including mugs and tickets, as well as the jerseys of other participants including Russian goalie Vladislav Tretiak. The tour will also feature a documentary that provides insight into the historical significant of the Summit Series, which occurred during the height of the Cold War.
“My vision is [the tour being attended by] grandkids who have no idea what happened, parents that were 10 years old watching it on TV in the public school gym and grandparents that were in the bar watching it,” said Laura Fisher, director of experiential for Fuse.
Henderson himself is slated to appear at 15 of the tour stops, where he will talk about the Summit Series and its importance in Canadian history.
“Our strategy has always been to create [an experience that is] more than just looking at a sweater,” said Fisher. “You’re not going to get a lot people out on a Saturday morning just to see a sweater.”
While about half of the stops will take place in SmartCentre parking lots (the remainder will take place at local arenas), the tour is not considered a marketing venture, said Fisher.
“[Goldhar] really did buy the jersey to bring to Canadians,” said Fisher. “He’s not using it to sell retail space or make his clients happy—it’s really quite altruistic. I’ve never worked on a project like this in 20 years.”
The first phase of the tour concludes in May, with a second phase slated to take place in Eastern Canada in the Fall.
